Confirmation that EasyJet is to close its bases at London Stansted, Southend and Newcastle has dealt another blow to UK business travellers.

All flights out of Southend will be cancelled from September 1 and some services from Stansted and Newcastle will also be axed, although the airports will remain part of the airline’s route network.

Flights from Newcastle to Bristol, Belfast and Nice and from Stansted to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Amsterdam will continue.

EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said: “We have had to take the very difficult decision to close three UK bases as a result of the unprecedented impact of the pandemic and related travel restrictions, compounded by quarantine measures in the UK which is impacting demand for travel.

“We would like to reassure customers due to fly from these airports that we are now contacting anyone whose flight is affected with clear advice on their options, which include rerouting via alternative airports or receiving a full refund.”

Advantage Travel Partnership’s Global Supplier Partnership Director, Leigh Cowlishaw, said: “Pre-Covid-19, we were seeing an increasing trend for corporates to make sensible use of the low cost carriers’ regional connectivity on short-haul business trips both to Europe and domestically.

“Less flights operated by EasyJet from September will have a regional impact in future which could further hinder the recovery of business travel this year.”